No. 1 Westwood girls survive scare, keep dream of state title appearance in tact
Playing in the final home game of her high school, Nyah Lveretter was relegated to the role of cheerleader in the final minutes Friday night.
Leveretter, the Westwood forward, fouled out with less than two minutes left in the second-round matchup of the Class 4A girls basketball playoffs. The Kentucky signee and all-stater stood most of that time encouraging her teammates as the top-ranked Redhawks held off No. 6 Orangeburg-Wilkinson, 46-38, to move on to the third round.
“All I could do at that point is cheer them on. coach them on. Just being a leader, tell them what to do and what not to do so they stay calm in that moment so we can get that W,” Leveretter said.
Leveretter finished with 10 points and fouled out with 1:25 left and the Redhawks leading the Bruinettes, 41-38. The Redhawks got big plays down the stretch from seniors J’Mari Frederick, Ja’la Wade, Malayziah Etherredge and junior TaShauna McCant — and freshman Jessica Woods made big free throws down the stretch to hold off the Bruinettes comeback bid.
O-W trailed by as many as 11 in the first half and held the Redhawks without a point in the first four minutes of the third quarter to chip away at the lead.
Frederick led the Redhawks with 11 points.
“Our school’s motto this year is sailing to success but we knew we had to kill the alligator that is closest to the boat. And O-W was definitely an alligator in the third quarter,” Westwood coach Gregory Bauldrick said. “.. but we just had to find a way and move on.”
With the win, the Redhawks tied a school record with their 24th win of the season. Westwood goes to Greenville High on Monday in the third round with the winner headed to Upper State championship at Bon Secours Wellness Center on Friday.
Westwood has made it to two straight upper state title games, losing to North Augusta in 2018 and South Pointe last year. The Redhawks won’t just be satisfied with making it there this season as they look to finally get over that hurdle to make it to the school’s first state championship.
Bauldrick said his team is well aware of the ‘elephant in the room’ of not making it a state championship yet and hasn’t shied away from talking about it. Making it to the championship game has been about the only thing that has eluded the program over the past three years.
Westwood has 90 victories and three regional titles during that span and a win over three-time defending state champion North Augusta, to move into No. 1 in the 4A rankings. Now, it hopes to add a state title appearance.
“This group definitely has the skillset to accomplish that,” Bauldrick said. “But they have to deal with what’s between the ears and can we get it done. I tell them all the time all our kids are here at Westwood to compete for championships. With that comes responsibility. Everyone isn’t built for this. It is about their legacy and what they want to have as their goals.”
One of those goals is to play for a state championship and Leveretter thinks the team is up to the challenge.
“Each year I have been here, we have been built better and better where we can come out with a W in the fourth round,” Leveretter said. “I feel all the time we spent in the gym and all the time we spent together has prepared us for these moments.
W: Ja’Mari Frederick 11, Nyah Leveretter 10, Woods 8, McCant 7, Wade 6, Etheredge 4. OW: D’Mya Tucker 13, Gaillard 8, Zeigler 5, Darby 4, Furman 4, Brailey 2, Graves 2
This story was originally published February 21, 2020 at 9:35 PM.
